


Fallen

by KyeAbove, Ohaymikoto



Series: The Reinforcement Of Agony AU [21]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Drinking, Gen, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-05 08:04:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16806691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyeAbove/pseuds/KyeAbove, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ohaymikoto/pseuds/Ohaymikoto
Summary: July 18th, 1929. Cade Vale, New York. Agony:ConsumingJoey reminisces about what he left behind.





	Fallen

**Author's Note:**

> A companion to the next chronological work in the series, Raise.

~July 18th, 1929~

* * *

Their very first cartoon had been a success!  
  
It felt so surreal for Joey to be thinking such thoughts and actually having evidence to support them. He stood off to the side of the party with a half full glass of whiskey, while everyone else was celebrating the cartoon's success. This was mostly a celebration or the man who'd slaved on his own for two whole weeks, drawing all of the slides on his own. Joey could spot from his own set off place, Henry on the other side of the room sneaking closer to a door. Clearly wanting to make leave.  
  
Henry let his gaze sweep across the room to make sure nobody saw him slipping away, but when he locked eyes with Joey, the two studio owners stared fondly for a bit, before Joey wordlessly lifted his glass slightly in a silent toast to his dear friend. This earned a small smile from Henry before he properly disappeared with a filled glass in hand. Thinking Henry might have the right idea, Joey let out a sigh then followed his friend's example.  
  
To his office.  
  
It was easy leaving the break room, but getting into his office, not so much. It was hard to open the door while carrying a extra glass that he'd previously swiped from the snack table, and as well a half empty bottle of some alcohol that he'd taken straight out of a piss drunk Sammy Lawrence's hand. He finally managed the door after fiddling with his elbow at the door handle.  
  
His office was very barren, a desk with a chair and a huge mess of paperwork scattered a little here and there. He'd have to spruce it up later; But not today nor tomorrow.  
  
Joey carelessly pushed a bundle of papers off of his desk to make room, and have them alone sitting there, for the bottle and two glasses. Grant would have his head for such poor treatment of anything related to their finances, but that barely crossed Joey's mind. Once Joey was satisfied, he sat down at the desk, with a content sigh. He'd been standing almost the whole day, and now it was time for some respite before he was pulled every which way for hopefully years to come.   
  
He refilled his own glass and then filled the other glass as well. The bottle, he put to the side. Considering the looks of relief Johnny and Norman had on their faces when he'd pried the bottle from Sammy, they'd be less than pleased if he returned it to the heavily drunken man. 

He took his own glass and pulled it towards him. The other glass was for someone very special, who could sadly not be there to partake in the festivities today.  
  
It was a glass for _her._  
  
"Toast to our success, aye?"  
  
He spoke softly and lightly tapped his glass against hers. Joey and Henry had worked hard to reach this point, Henry especially, and they did indeed deserve the praise being given to them, but she deserved some praise as well.  
  
Joey leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. The unknown alcohol brought a bitter flavor to his tongue. He let his thoughts drown out the rowdy noises from the party, and pretend he was somewhere very special. A place he could never return to, because it was gone.   
  
He could already smell the scent of her cooking wafting from her little kitchen. He'd loved her cooking very much, and still missed it dearly. He could picture her standing there by the stove rocking back and forth while whistling her merry tune. Ever since he'd learnt to he would always whistle with her, or back to her. Smile when she smiled. Laugh when she did.   
  
His dear grandmother.  
  
Joey had loved spending time with her, be it sewing or cooking or singing and dancing together. She loved all of those activities and had gladly shared them with her only grandson. Her little home was like a safe and loving haven for him. She didn't tell him he was too feminine for a boy. She embraced what Joey loved to do.  
  
"Thank you for always being there."  
  
Whenever he'd run away from home he'd ran straight to her little peace of heaven, and she'd be there to dry his tears and to patch up his wounds. Careful when applying ointment to bruises, restraining anger while tending to the whipping marks, disinfecting everything else. She'd always held him afterwards, and hummed a soft lullaby while he cried.

It had been her idea of him escaping his dreadful home forever. His father could find him if he stayed with his grandmother. She'd told him to run, pack a bag and get out, and run he had.  
  
"Thank you for giving me this life."  
  
Running away for good, forever and away, had been the best moment of his life. It was like he had shed a sickly layer of skin and been born anew. Finally free, and without the constant fear and pain. It had given him the chance to meet Henry, and he deeply treasured that faithful meeting. It allowed him to get a friend to hold close to his heart. He'd saved Henry too.   
  
"Thank you for letting me meet Henry."  
  
Joey just knew that she would've loved Henry and showered him with affection and would've taken every opportunity to tell him any embarrassing story about Joey. Such as the time he got himself and his sister Agatha stuck in a tree while trying to look at baby birds, and how she'd had to coax the two crying children down the ladder. Hopefully leaving out that Joey had feared a beating from his father for getting stuck in the first place, and Agatha, ever empathetic, had started crying too.  
  
"Thank you for everything"  
  
He smiled, grateful for where he'd ended up. His grandmother was gone now, passed away of old age. He never did get to see her again. Her birthday was coming up. He thought he should call his sister Marjorie to meet up with him so they could offer flowers together. They'd been sending letters and calling on the phone lately. It was a start, compared to their silence all the time before. Their grandmother would be so proud of their progress.  
  
"I wish you could be here with me. This success wouldn't have been possible without you after all."  
  
He began to whistle her tune to himself. It was a cheery and upbeat tune, conflicting his mood, but raising it too.   
  
"Thank you, grandma Josephine. I swear I will make you proud of me."

**Author's Note:**

> Joey was in fact named for his grandmother.


End file.
